Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-04-23
can is be Rcpea,cdr


Can is be Rcpea'cdT
The injurious effects Of the tremen-
dous freight rates now exacted by the
transcontinental roads upon the pro-
ductiye industries OF this coast cannot
be estimated. If they are to continue,
they will, as the saying goes, burn
our candle at both ends. They will
compel our people to pay enormous
advances on all the commodities i'm
ported from tho East, and increase
the cost of transportation on our
fruits, wines, oils, canned goods and
Ill productions which are marketed
in the Atlantic States, to such an ex-
tent as to virtually place an embargo
upon them. We are told by the rail-
roads that these rates are the result
OF that provision of the Interstate
Commerce bill which prohibits a
xr sater charge for freights on short
hauls than on long ones. The COM
panies declare that their profits come
mainly from short hauls, and that in
order not to reduce their charges on
short hauls they we're forced to raise
the price of long hauls, SO as to COM
ply with the law. In other words,
instead of fiattening down the rates
in the middle and bringing them up
at the ends, SO as to make fair aver
age, they have made the terminal or
com petitive points bear all the brunt
-of the evening. process. The compa-
nios have therefore construed the law
altogether in their own favor. They
have relinqnished nothing, but, on the
contrary, have greatly added to their
previous charges, and blamed the
oppressive operation of their new
schedule altogether on the law. This
policy oi the roads, it is ayerred, was
adopted for the purpose OF making
the people in the commercial CON-
petitive points to feel at once the evil
effects which could be produced by
the law, and to raise such an outcry
against it that Congress would hasten,
on its reassembling, to repeal it. The
policy has certainly .been successful
in raising the outcry and in making
people generally believe that the law
alone was to blame; but that this
public indignation will be successful
in securing the repeal Of the law, we
have our doubts. 1t must be remem-
bered that the main principle of the
Interstate Commerce Act contem-
plates relief from the oppressive
charges and the arbitrary regulations
which the roads have always enforced
ct non.competitive points. As these
points constitute all the interior cities
and towns OF the country that are not
adjacent to rivers, canals or other
.hiehEsys tina. enter into competition
With railroads, it will be seen that a
very large proportion OF the people OF
the United States will be found friend
ly to the main principle OF the law!
The first attempt to repeal it
will be resisted by this very large
elem ent of the people of the country.
Bus, perhaps, their opposition, great
aslit is, would not be nearly so effect
i've in combating repeal as the vast
intere ,tsss THAT have already shown
tn ,ir approval OF the Interstate
Commerce Act. Shipowners in all
the large commercial cities will op
nose lis repeal. So will the steam
boat interests on all the navigable
rivers, especially on those great west
ern rivers thatflow by several States.
We have seen.that, in San Francisco,
while the Board of Trade has pro-
nounced against the law, the Cham
ber of Commerce has upheld it. So
it will be else here. The interests
Of every class will be exercised either
pro or con, as they are favorably or
injuriously affected by its provisions.
However, we say, it is doubtful if it
will be possible to repeal the law at
the next session Of Congress, or at
any subsequent session. 1t has taken
ten years to pass the Reagan bill,
even in its present modified shape.
The power of the classes whose in
terests are favorably affected by its
principles will perhaps be found suf-
ficient to prevent its repeal in that
time for it must be known, that it is !,
as difficult to repeal law which is
maintained and defended by "a large
section OF the people as it is TO pass a /
law that is opposed by powerful in 9
forests. The machinery .of legisla-
tion ia such that itcan be successfully !.
Obstructed as well for the repeal as I
1or the passage Of laws. Arguments